Why Simple Email Marketing Will Always Win
Email marketing is an essential part of any successful marketing campaign, as effective as this strategy is, it is often overcomplicated by many marketers. The new norm in email marketing is highly curated, graphic heavy HTML emails filled with images, animations and other attention grabbing elements.
Whatever industry you’re in, whether you’re a start-up or a big hitter, simplicity in your email marketing is a great way to attract some attention to your email campaigns. In this blog post we will explore why a simpler approach wins when it comes to email marketing and how you can create simple but effective email campaigns.
Simple marketing does not mean easy or lazy marketing…
1. Simplify Email Strategy
The best email campaigns are never long winded paragraphs, filled with complicated words and industry jargon. Readers are looking for quick and easy ways to absorb information, they aren’t looking for well written perfect vocab novels clogging up their inbox. Successful email copy should focus on one specific problem for one specific audience – also known as the rule of 1.
Remember that whenever you send an email to your list you should always have a specific goal in mind and this should be reflected in all sections of the email, from the introduction to the CTA. Leverage email list segmentation in order to more accurately personalise content for different consumers, that way you can be sure you’re speaking to the individual and not the crowd.
2. Simplify Email Layout
There’s a tendency for marketers to try and cram as much information into an email as possible, this often manifests itself in the form of sidebars, menus, multiple columns of text etc. However, as the old saying goes, less is more, and an email with a simplified design and one column of text will stand out more and will allow the reader to easily take in the information rather than scanning through different paragraphs and menus to get the value they are looking for.
When using a simple layout not only does it make it easier for readers to consume information it also makes the email more mobile friendly. As more than 50% of consumers now check their emails on a mobile device it is essential that your emails are optimised for different devices and different sized screens. Inbox recommends plain text emails rather than HTML due to the fact that plain text emails are simple, get straight to the point and are optimised for all devices. Click here for our full blog on HTML Vs Plain Text in 2023.
3. Simplify Email Design
When it comes to email design, simple email marketing wins again, similar to email layout a less is more approach will produce excellent results. When you clutter your emails with too many images, videos, and other elements, it can be overwhelming for the reader. In contrast, a simple email with one clear call to action is much more effective at driving conversions. By focusing on one key message, you can ensure that your message is clear and that the reader understands what you want them to do.
If you want to include images and graphics within your messages then make sure they are small. Large images take a long time to load and readers will often click off if the email isn’t fully loaded instantly. Secondly, large images often trigger spam filters meaning your email won’t even reach your audience not to mention the damage it will do to your domain health and email deliverability. Click here for our full guide on how to improve your email deliverability.
4. Simplify Code
Work closely with your email development team in order to make the code as simple as possible, if you are using plain text emails then there is no need to code. We will leave the coding up to the professionals but just for a little recap here’s the 4 basic principles:
- DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself): Tidy up repetitive code in order to keep the code short and simple
- KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid): Write code as simple as possible. This helps the code render faster and makes it easier to maintain.
- Modularity: Break code down into small, reusable chunks.
- Refactoring: Refactor code to tidy it up before deploying.
5. Simplify Copy
As previously mentioned your readers want value and they want it now. Click here for our full guide on how to provide real value in your email marketing. They aren’t looking for a novel, again they are looking for real value quickly and easily. In order to convert a prospect you need to address a common issue they face in a familiar and conversational manner, consistent with your brand’s tone of voice.
This starts with the subject line, which needs to be short, punchy and catchy. Next to the copy, this needs to be easy to understand. A Boomerang study found evidence that emails written at a reading age of 8-9 years old have the highest response rate.
Wrap Up
Individuals receive dozens of emails each day, and they do not have the time or attention span to read long, complex messages. Simple email marketing messages, on the other hand, are easy to read and understand, which makes them more likely to be read and acted upon.
If you would rather leave this to the professionals then let us cover all this for you. At Inboxx we provide bespoke direct email marketing solutions for businesses, getting you noticed by the people that matter and boosting your revenue. Click here to find out more: Inbox Home
